Pilot-light.



N. 6,. GORE/xu.

PILOT LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED luLYra. m1.

y mmgmh Patented May 6, 1919,

A TTOR/VEY r NITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

NELSON G. GOREAU, 0F NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

PILOT-LIGHT.

Tuscania.

Specification of Letters Patent.4

Patented May 6, 1919.

Application ledl. July 3, 1917. Serial o. 178,465.

Afor other purposes.

The principal objects of the invention are to reduce the liability ofthe pilot light to beextinguished; to. provide for a smaller and moreeconomical pilot fiame; to provide a cleaner flame, that 1s one whichhas more perfect combustion and, therefore, does not foul the pilotburner, and to protect the pilot light from moisture.

I have found that the extinguishment of pilot lights of this class isvfrequently due not only to draftskbut to products of combustionaccumulatlng in the combustion chamber, practically smothering thelight' regardless of whether there is any appreciable draft of air orgas against the pilot light at the time. The present invention,therefore, seeks to protect the pilot light from being smothered byproducts of combustion as well asby drafts. This .is accomplished byplacing the pilot light in a pocket and also by supplying pure air tothe pilot light from an external source so that combustion may besupported at all times. -Acleaner flame in the pilot is permitted bythis external air supply and also by novel features of the pilot burnerproper.

rlhe invention provides means for carrying out the above-objects andalso provides for a duplication of the pilot lights to insure lightingof the main burner even 'if one of the pilots is extinguished, and theinvention further provides improved means of arranging the pilot lightsin association with the main burner.

. The accompanying drawing shows one exemplifying embodiment of theinvention, but after considering this it will be evident that theinvention maybe embodied in .different forms, and I- do not limit myselfto details except as claimed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a representative form of burner with twopilot lights applied thereto, one of the pilot lights and its eaconnection being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan with the water shield omitted, and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a representative form of automatic waterheater with the `invention applied thereto.

Fig. 3 shows a representative form of an automatic water heater having acombustion chamber 1, in the upper part of which is the heating coil 2.At the bottom of the combustion chamber is a pan 3 having a centralopening l to accommodate the main burner 5, whose head 6 dischargesflame in a (plurality of separate jets, annullarly arranged, below thebaflie plate 21, which in the present invention serves the purpose ofawater shield, as will later appear. The4 general organization of awater heater to which the present invention is especially adapted ismore fully described in my appliczation, Serial No. 178,464, filed July3, 191

yTo the main burner head one for more pilot lights P are secured. Eachof these comprises a body 7 secured to the burner head by a screw 8. Inthe upper part of this body is formed a pocket 9, the opening 10 ofwhich is substantially flush with the bottom of the main gas jets 6 andclosely adjacent thereto. In the bottom ofthe pocket is screwed apburnertip 11 and the gas passage thereincommunicates with passage 12 leadingdownward through 'the body 7 and there communicating with a passage 13leading to a T-connection 14:, which is employed when laplurality ofpilots are used with one main burner or set of main burners. Gas isconveyed tothe stem 15 of the T-connection through any suitablepipe.'The amount of gas flowing through gas passage 13 to the burnertip 11 iscontrolled by a needle valve 16 suitably arranged in the lower part ofthe body 7 and easily accessible from below for the adjustment of thepilot. Removal of the needle valve permits the burner to be easilycleaned from below.

An air conduit 17 enters pocket 9 at one side near the bottom and thisconduit communicates with an air tube V18 suitably se- 'cured to thepilot burner body 7 and extion chamber to a point Well below the pan 3,but evidently in other cases the air pipe may lead to any suitable pointto insure that it Will receive fresh air.

The type of burner tip 11 which may b e employed may Vary considerably,but in a preferred construction one of the general type shown is insed,that is, one which has air-injecting lateral "passages 20. In this casethe gas passage through the tip is also preferably of Venturi form thatis, ithas a constricted point, land the lateral air passages 20 enterthe gas passage at the point of greatest constriction.

.The baffle plate 21 forms a Water shield and is suitably mounted abovethe pilot lights, in this case upon the ktop of the main burner, andthis shield prevents water of condensation formed Within the combustionchamber from drippinginto the pocket 10 and extinguishing the pilot.

When the needle valve 16 is properly adjusted, the pilot light burnswith a small, economical blue flame which extends slightly above the topof the pocket 10. Economy and perfect combustion are promoted when anair-injecting burner tip as above described is employed. Fresh air issupplied through the pipe 18 in ample quantity to support combustionofthe pilot flame, and, Where an air injectin burner isused, it will drawprimary air rom this vexternal air supply through the lateral opening20, and additional air will be furnished at the top of thegas passage toprovide for c'omplete combustion. When a blue, perfect-combusjso tionpilot flame is provided for as described, the pilot flame may be madesmaller than otherwise, using less gas and at the same time sooting ofthe burner or the pocket is avoided. When'the main burner 1sextinguished, in heaters df the type shown, a large amount of burnedgases may remain in the combustion chllmber, and pilot lights asordinarily7 constructed are frequently extinguished by the dscent ofthese burnt gases upon the pilot, practically smotherin it for want offresh air. This is prevente in my Ainvention by the supply offresh airthrough pipe 18 to the pocket. The pocket also evidently prevents orgreatly minimizes the liability to extinguish the pilot light by waterof condensation reason or any drafts that may occur irrespective of theeffect of products of combustion.

The location of the' il'ot li ht in a pocket ypermits 1t to be plac \ofthem is extinguished by unusally severe conditions, the amount ofescaping gas until the main burner is again ignited is hardly noticeableeither as a matter of 00st a matter of objectionable odor.

I claim l. The combination with a main burner, of a pocket adjacentthereto, a p1 ot or as burner tip Within the pocket provided withair-injecting openings, and means for supplyin' fresh air to the pocket.

2. said means comprises an air pipe communiame as claim 1', with theaddition thateating with the p-ocket adjacent to the pilot gas tip andextending to a point remote from the main burner.

3. `The combination with a main gas burner of a pilot b urn'er adjacentthereto, a pocket substantially inclosing the pllot burner with theexception of an opening at the top to permit gas from the. main burnerto come in contact with the pilot ame, and a shield above the pilotburner to prevent dropping upon the pilot burner. i

4. The combination with' a combustion chamber and a main gas burnertherein of a lpilot burner located near themain burner,

a shield\substantially surrounding the pilot burner, a gas conduitleading-to the ilot burner andan air supply conduit. lea mg from apoitoutside the Icombustlon chamber to a point within said shield.

5. The combination .with a" main as burner of a pocket adjacent thereto,a pi ot ing to a 'point remote from the main burner.

NELSON G. -GoREAu

